Every muscle in Bryce’s body tensed as he drove over the Crescent City Connection bridge onto the East Bank. He’d been driving aimlessly for the past two hours, rolling over his conversations with Alexis and Macey in his head, gripping the steering wheel until his knuckles whitened and his joints ached.

Had he been wrong about Alexis? He’d missed every single sign when she’d lied to him about going to the bastard’s house. He could hardly see through the thick cloud of love covering his eyes, and his judgment suffered for it. Was he only seeing what he wanted to see?

No, she hadn’t used him like she’d said. It was a lie—all of it—but something was going on. She may have gone to Eric’s willingly, but she wouldn’t stay with him unless she had a reason. She was smarter than that.

Whatever it was, she did not need to be anywhere near that abuser. He had to figure out a way to get through to her. Maybe she really couldn’t ever love a man like Bryce, but she deserved so much better than an asshole like Eric.

He groaned and exited the highway onto Tchoupitoulas Street and made his way into the Garden District. A few shots of caffeine and a rush of sugar ought to wake his mind up. Help him think straight.

He hadn’t slept much last night with Alexis in his bed. The corner of his mouth twitched as images of her sexy body wrapped around him danced behind his eyes. She had feelings for him; of that he was sure.

But he’d come on too strong. What the hell had he been thinking asking her to live with him? He should’ve been satisfied when she said she’d stay in town, but he’d pushed her too hard and sent her straight into that asshole’s house. That’s what Macey would have him believe, but the wriggling sensation in the back of his mind told him something else was going on. And in his heart…damn it, in his soul, he knew Alexis was the one for him. If he believed in fate and soul mates and all that crap, he’d say she was his. He couldn’t deny the strong connection he felt with her. She felt it too. She had to.

He pulled into a parking lot and zipped his jacket as he trekked into the coffee shop. Half a dozen tables sat scattered about the room, four of them occupied, and a row of stools lined the counter in front of the kitchen. The rich aromas of espresso and cinnamon tickled his senses, and a woman laughed, disturbing the quiet hum of conversation filling the air. Grabbing a seat at the counter, he ordered black coffee and an apple fritter, and he played his conversation with Alexis in his mind for the fifteenth time. There had to be something he’d missed. Some clue.

“Hey, Bryce. How’s it going?” A tall man with dark hair and blue eyes slid onto the seat next to him.

Bryce sat up straight. “James, right?” He offered his hand to shake. “Good to see you.” Macey had so many new friends since she’d married Luke, it was hard to keep up with them all.

James shook his hand and ordered a roast beef po-boy. As the waitress delivered Bryce’s food, James chuckled. “Late breakfast?”

“I didn’t realize it was already lunch time.” He broke off a piece of the fritter and shoved it into his mouth. The combination of apple and cinnamon normally made his taste buds zing, but he could hardly taste it now.

“You okay?” James’s eyes held brotherly concern. “You look like you lost your best friend.”

He let out a dry laugh. “Close. I might have lost the woman I love.”

James palmed his shoulder. “I’m sorry man. That’s tough.”

“Tell me about it.” He scrubbed a hand down his face. He normally kept his mouth shut about his personal life, but at least this guy had some sympathy for his situation. Macey had had none. “She went back to her abusive ex.”

He sucked in a breath through his teeth. “There’s nothing I hate more than a man who hits a woman. You need any help kicking his ass, you let me know.”

“I might take you up on that.” He took a gulp of coffee. Lukewarm, like his love life.

James’s food arrived and they ate in silence. The waitress refilled Bryce’s coffee, and it was a little warmer this time. Still, nothing compared to the fire Alexis had lit inside his soul. He shoved his plate away. If he could clear his head—get his mind off his emotions—then he could look at the facts and figure out how to get her back.

He turned to James. “What’s your super power?”

James choked on his iced tea. “Pardon?”

“Seems like all Macey’s new friends have some sort of psychic ability. What’s yours?”

He bit into his sandwich and took his time chewing before he answered. “I don’t have any psychic abilities.” He cut his gaze to the side and ran his hand over his mouth.

“Good to know I’m not the only one.” Bryce sipped his coffee and eyed the man. “How long have you known Luke?”

“Since we were kids. We grew up together, close as cousins.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Listen, man, I’m serious. If you need help getting your girl out of a bad situation, hit me up.”

“Thanks.”

“What’s her name?”

Bryce straightened his spine and held his gaze. “It’s Alexis. Macey’s sister.”

James’s eyes widened briefly, and he pressed his lips into a hard line. He slapped a twenty on the counter before giving Bryce’s shoulder a squeeze. “Take care, man.” He hustled out the door.

The waitress grinned as she picked up the money James had left. “Is he paying for yours too?”

“No, ma’am. I’ve got mine.”

Her smiled widened as Bryce paid his tab, and he shuffled out of the restaurant. James was hiding something, like Macey and Luke and everyone else she’d gotten herself involved with. From the look on James’s face, Alexis was mixed up in it too, and it seemed this Eric guy was at the center of the mess.

He got into his car and started the engine. It looked like he’d be putting his detective skills to the test on this one.

His frazzled nerves should have smoothed as he made his way toward his home. Being alone inside his apartment always brought him a sense of calm, but the tension wound tighter as he pulled into the driveway and cut the engine. He kept adding pieces to the puzzle, but he couldn’t get any of them to fit together.

He climbed out of the car and cut around the side of the house to the staircase, and his heart dropped into his shoes. A mass of white fur lay at the bottom of the steps, and icy dread clawed through his veins as he approached. Please don’t be Sam.

His throat thickened. It was Sam.

Bryce dropped to his knees and put a hand on his dog’s side. Sam’s ribcage rose and fell with his shallow breaths, and he whimpered, lifting his head to look at his master.

“Aw, buddy. What happened to you?” Bryce ran his hands along the dog’s fur, and Sam yelped as he touched his back leg. “Can you get up? Come here, boy.” He scooted a few feet away and patted his legs to call his dog.

Sam wiggled and tried to push to his feet, but he let out an ear-piercing howl and crumpled to the ground.

“All right, goofball, let’s get you to the doctor.” He scooped the eighty-pound canine into his arms and carried him to the car. Shifting the dog’s weight to one arm, he fumbled with the handle, cursing at the damn thing until he got it open.

Sam whined as Bryce positioned him on the back seat and unhooked the leash from his collar. “I’ll be right back.”

He shut the door and marched to the house. Michael was probably inside, crying on the couch. No telling how Sam had hurt his leg, but the kid would blame himself since it happened on his watch.

He banged on the door. “Hey, Michael? What happened to Sam?”

Silence answered.

He knocked again. Nothing.

Fishing his keys from his pocket, he unlocked the door and poked his head inside. “Michael?”

A lamp burned in the corner of the living room, but all the overhead lights were off. Pausing, he listened for sounds of movement, for any indication someone was home, but the apartment sat silent. Empty. He wiped his feet on the rug and crept inside the eerily quiet living room. His heart sprinted as thoughts of Michael’s delicate mental state flashed through his mind. If the kid had done something to himself because Sam was hurt…

He shook the idea from his head and searched the place, finding every room empty. No sign of Michael anywhere. “What the hell?”

He locked the front door and dialed Michael’s number as he paced to his car. Sam whimpered as he climbed into the driver’s seat and started the engine. Michael didn’t answer.

“Hey, Mike, it’s Bryce. I found Sam hurt at the bottom of the steps and wanted to check in with you. Call me as soon as you can.”

He shifted into drive and headed to the emergency vet as he dialed Karen. The call went straight to voicemail, so he left her a message too. Hopefully they were together, but Karen would have called if she’d known Sam was hurt.

Maybe Michael left the door open, and Sam escaped that way, tumbling down the stairs on his way to freedom. But why would the leash have been attached?

If Michael had left in a hurry, he might have forgotten to unhook the leash and left the door ajar. It was the only logical explanation…but Bryce had glanced up at his apartment from the bottom of the stairs. The door was closed.

He tried both their numbers again, hanging up before the voicemail greeting ended, and then carried Sam into the clinic. The technicians took the dog to the back to sedate him and run tests and X-rays, and Bryce dropped into a chair in the waiting room.

He called Alexis first, but the call went straight to voicemail, so he tried Michael and Karen’s cells again. Nothing. He sent all three of them a text before calling the landline at Karen’s house. The machine picked up, so he left another message there before shoving his phone in his pocket and wringing his hands.

He took a deep breath, and the scents of lavender and antiseptic greeted his senses. A fake plant stood in the corner of the room next to a short table littered with magazines. A woman and her young daughter occupied two chairs on the opposite wall, the mother reading quietly from a thick-paged book.

He could call Macey, but what good would that do? He’d already pissed her off with his cult comment, and James’s strange responses during their conversation had him all the more suspicious.

Bryce had never felt more alone in his life.

Alexis showered and shoved her bloodied clothes into the washer before ducking back into the bathroom and tossing another tampon wrapper into the trash to keep up the charade. With Bryce’s gun hidden at the bottom of her backpack, she shoved the bag under Eric’s bed and cringed. She’d have to crawl under these blankets with the dickhead tonight if her plan was going to work. She might even have to make out with him. Her stomach lurched, and she covered her mouth with her hand as she shuffled toward the sound-proof room.

She and Justin had cleaned up the bloody mess while Eric jerked off in the bathroom. Sick bastard. And now Trevor was probably back with whatever kid Eric planned to turn. Alexis gritted her teeth. She would not let him hurt a child.

Glancing toward the bed, she eyed the edge of the backpack beneath it. She could grab the gun and end this now, but she’d only get one shot. If she fired and missed, she’d be dead. Since she’d never shot a gun before, it was better to wait until he slept tonight. She swallowed the sour taste from her mouth and turned away from the bedroom.

Twisting the knob, she pushed open the door, and her heart shot into her throat. Michael sat alone on the floor, gagged, his back against the wall, his hands tied to his ankles.

“Oh, no.” Alexis ran to him, dropping to her knees at his side and pulling the gag from his mouth. “Are you okay?” She put up a finger to keep him from answering and rushed to slam the door, blocking the sound from escaping. “Did he hurt you?”

Tears collected on his lower lids. “I’m okay. He knocked me out with something on a rag, but Sam…” His lip trembled and the tears spilled down his cheeks. “He hurt Sergeant Samuels’ dog.” He sucked in a shaky breath. “Sam was trying to protect me, and he kicked him. I heard something snap, and he yelped, and I tried to help him but…” He bit his lip.

She clenched her teeth. “He won’t get away with this.” The urge to grab the gun and end this now grew palpable in her core. Her legs tensed, her body willing her to follow through, but she fought the impulse. She had to wait for the right moment.

Squaring her gaze on Michael, she put a hand on his shoulder. “I’m going to help you, but I need you to play along, okay? And when I tell you to run, you need to run. No questions asked. Got it?”

He nodded.

The knob turned, and Eric sauntered into the room. “Damn. He’s awake.” He closed the door. “I wanted to make this fast, so you don’t get all teary and soft on me.”

Alexis shot to her feet, clenching her hands at her sides. “Leave him out of this, Eric.”

“Oh, he’s in this, babe. He was in it the moment you ran to that cop for help. Now everyone he knows is in this.”

She swallowed her bitter anger and softened her gaze. Eric liked it when she seemed weak. “Please don’t hurt him. I’m here. You got what you wanted, and I promise I won’t leave you again.” She unclenched her fists and clasped them together over her heart, batting her lashes to add to the effect.

He hesitated, his mouth opening a few times as he attempted to speak, and her pulse thrummed.

“I’m sorry, Eric. I’m here.” She held out her hands to him. Please let this act work.

His brows slammed together in a scowl. “Your body may be here, but your mind ain’t.” He cracked his neck, and shimmering vibration engulfed him as he shifted into wolf form.

Michael screamed.

“Damn it, Eric.” Alexis widened her stance, blocking the kid from his attack.

Eric rocked back, ready to spring, and Alexis had two choices: she could shift and fight him, or she could get torn apart on his way to his target.

“I promise I won’t hurt you,” she said over her shoulder to Michael before calling on her own wolf and shifting form. Crouching low, she growled a warning but didn’t advance. Even with all her strength intact, she didn’t stand a chance against a powerful wolf like Eric.

He lunged, feigning right then left. Alexis snapped her jaws, purposely missing on each advance. He was toying with her, and she refused to give him a reason to attack.

Ears back, Eric lowered his head and let out a menacing growl. Michael whimpered behind her, but she didn’t dare turn her back on the wolf to check on him. She growled in return, and Eric blew out a hard breath through his nostrils before backing up and sitting on his haunches. He tilted his head, and his body shimmered as he shifted back to human form and laughed. “Come on, babe. Let’s not fight.”

This was her chance. If she leapt for him now and went straight for the throat, she could take him out before he knew what hit him. But the uncontrollable sobs from the terrified teenager behind her glued her to the spot.

She’d wait. Bide her time like she originally planned. Another warning rumbled from her chest before she shifted to human form. “Let him go.” With her wolf hovering near the surface, her voice sounded more like a growl.

“He’s seen our wolf forms now. You’ll be in deep shit too, if we do that.”

She knelt beside Michael, and he recoiled from her touch. “It’s okay. I promise no one will hurt you.”

He stared at her with wide eyes. “Are you a…are you a werewolf?”

She pressed her lips together and gave a tight nod.

“You’ll be one too, by the time I’m done with you.” Eric rose to his feet as a speaker in the corner of the room buzzed. He grumbled and pulled his phone from his pocket. “Goddammit. It’s my old man.”

He slammed his phone onto a table and grabbed two guitars from the wall, shoving them at Alexis. “Hold these.”

He yanked the ties from Michael’s wrists and ankles and dragged him to his feet. “Give him the bass. Sit there and pretend like you’re practicing.” He raked his hands through his hair and mumbled as he stomped out the door. “Piece of shit’s got the worst timing.”

As soon as the door shut, Alexis swiped Eric’s phone from the table. It took her less than a minute to download a rideshare app, connect it to his credit card stored in his virtual wallet, and request a car.

She crept toward the door and peeked down the hall. No sign of the men. Eric must have wrangled his dad into the living room.

Motioning for Michael, she whispered, “Hang a right and go out the back door. Keep running straight through the neighbor’s yard and you’ll come to a road. Go left and head for the convenience store on the corner. A rideshare car will be there to pick you up, and it’s taking you to O’Malley’s Pub.”

He furrowed his brow as his frightened gaze danced about the room. “A bar? I don’t understand.”

“Ask for Macey Mason when you get there. You know who she is, right?”

“Sergeant Samuels’ old partner.”

“Right. Now, listen to me, Michael, this is important. You need to tell her everything you saw here.”

His eyes widened. “Even about how you…?”

“She’s my sister. She knows what I am.”

He nodded.

“Don’t tell Sergeant Samuels anything, okay? He doesn’t know, and it’s important no one else ever finds out. For my safety and yours. Don’t talk about this to anyone but Macey. Do you understand?”

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll tell Detective Mason everything, and I won’t say a word to Sergeant Samuels.”

She leaned into the hallway. “Run, Michael. Don’t stop until you get in the car. Go!”

Stepping away from the door, she shoved Michael through. He stumbled in the hall, catching himself on the wall before regaining his footing and barreling toward the exit. Alexis held her breath as he fumbled with the knob, and when he finally threw the door open, a chime sounded from the hall speaker.

Alexis’s heart pounded against her ribs as she closed the door and settled onto a chair with the guitar in her lap.

Eric stormed into the room with a look of fury in his eyes so hot he could have shot flames. “Where’s the kid?”

David stepped in behind him and narrowed his eyes at Alexis.

She plastered a huge smile on her face. “His mom called, and he had to go home.” She turned to Eric’s dad. “It’s good to see you again, David. What brings you out to our neck of the woods?”

“I’m checking up on my son.”

Eric’s hands clenched into fists, and a vein in his forehead throbbed. “And everything is fine, so you can go now.”

Alexis stood and hung the guitar on the wall. “Don’t be rude, Eric. He drove all this way.” Eric couldn’t do a damn thing while his dad was around, so the longer she could keep David in the house, the more time Michael would have to get away. “Why don’t you stay and visit a while? Can I get you a beer or some coffee?” She padded toward the door.

David cut a suspicious gaze between Eric and her. “I’ll take a beer.”

“How about you, babe?” She slapped Eric’s ass on her way to the hall. “Want a cold one?”

“Sure.” The word was barely audible over the sound of his grinding teeth.

The men shuffled into the living room as she popped the tops on two cans of Bud Light and handed them the beers. David settled into a recliner, and Eric glared at her as he dropped onto the sofa. She flashed him a smirk and perched on the arm of the couch.

David’s gaze bore into her as he set his beer on the coffee table and crossed his arms. “After that story you told me about my son, I wonder why you’re here.”

She swallowed, lowering her gaze and trying to look ashamed. “I’m sorry about that. We had a little tiff, and I was mad at him. I thought getting him into trouble would make up for him hitting my friend, but…” She glanced at Eric. “It was a stupid thing for me to do. I apologized, and he forgave me. Didn’t you, babe?”

Eric grunted in response.

David eyed her skeptically. “So you two are together now?”

Forcing a smile, she rested a hand on Eric’s shoulder. “‘Til death do us part.”

She managed to keep Eric’s dad in the house for another half hour, and by the time he left, two more veins had popped out on Eric’s forehead. He watched from the window as David drove away, and as he turned to face her, his face flushed red.

Her blood turned to ice in her veins, but she held her ground, planting her feet firmly on the floor and lifting her chin defiantly. Eric backhanded her, and searing pain exploded in her cheek, the momentum of his swing knocking her to carpet.

“You’ll pay for this.” He patted his pockets. “Where the hell is my phone?” He stomped down the hall and returned with the device. “You ordered a car with my phone?”

“You hid mine.”

His eyes narrowed. “You sent him to O’Malley’s? Isn’t that the pack’s headquarters?”

“He’s being protected now.”

“Like hell he is.” Growling, he punched some buttons on the screen. “The kid got away. Go find him.” He paused as the other person spoke. “I don’t give a damn what you’re doing; go get that kid.”